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From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), Kogi Chapters, have urged  Gov. Yahaya Bello led  administration to subsidise housing loan for workers in the state.

The state’s NLC and TUC Chairmen, Onuh Edoka and Tijani Ahmed,  made the call in separate interviews with with Our Correspondent in Lokoja, Tuesday.

Our Correspondent reports that the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in collaboration with NLC/TUC/NECA had on Jan. 26, inaugurated 100 housing units estate for civil servants in the state.

“If you look round and going by the history of Kogi since its creation, successive administrations have provided housing estate for state workers.

“But for seven years running now, this administration has not been able to provide housing for state’s workers.

“So, the organised labour unions want the state government to cash in on this opportunity to acquire the FMBN housing scheme and give it to workers.

“The government should acquire the housing estate and allocate it to the interested civil servants in the state,” he said.

According to him, the FMBN is meant to provide housing for Nigerian workers, and it is the workers’ contribution that had made the bank to be what it is today.

“So, we don’t expect anything less than 100 per cent of the occupants of this FMBN/NKC/TUC/NECA housing estate to be workers; that is our position,” he said.

The unions also advised that if the state government could not build housing estate for workers as proposed, it should subsidise the price of the FMBN Housing estate for the workers.

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Political Commission of the Organized Labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also known as the Workers Political Movement (WPM) has passed a “Vote of No Confidence” on the acting Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa State, Mr. Eneye Zidougha.

The group made the resolution in a meeting held on Monday January 2nd, 2023 in Yenagoa, the State capital.

In a statement by the Chairman of WPM, Comrade John Angese and Secretary, Comrade David Emiebor,and made available to Daily Asset, the group accused the party chairman of running the affairs of the party like a personal empire without recourse to the party executive.

Other allegations include non disclosure of donations by individuals for programmes and projects and the questionable disbursement of funds  that led to some unpleasant and embarrassing conducts before the party’s flag bearer at the Ox-Bow Lake Pavilion during the State rally.

WPM also viewed as insulting and undermining, the Party Chairman’s stance of not recognizing the group which represents the Organized Labour at the rally despite its numerous contributions maintaining that the Organized Labour remains a critical stakeholders in the Labour Party that cannot be wished away.

“This is evident in Mr. Zidougha’s refusal to appoint the Movement’s representative in the Campaign Council as done in all the States and Abuja,  the Federal Capital Territory”.

The statement further noted that the Chairman has continued to undermine the inputs of the Organized Labour while taking critical decisions unilaterally especially in the appointment of ward and Local Government officers whom some have displayed lack of wit for the task ahead.

Other allegations leveled against the party chairman include alleged trading with the party for pecuniary gains, creation of pseudo factions which has balkanized the various support groups in the State with the attendant lukewarm attitude witnessed at the State rally and high handedness in the discharge of his duties.

WPM has therefore appealed to the National leadership of the Party and the Organized Labour to take immediate action to replace the LP Acting Chairman and investigate the allegations of financial impropriety leveled against him to restore the confidence of party faithful who have toiled hard to grow the party in the State. 

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

In a bid to ensure total compliance by Participants on the nationwide graduates’ attachment programme, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), at the weekend, conducted a sensitization programme for participants in Kogi state.

The programme is put in place by the NDE for recent graduates who must have completed their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The Director General of NDE, Abubakar Fikpo while speaking during the orientation programme, said that the major target of the scheme is to address youth unemployment.

“The Scheme is out to improve upon the employability of the participants as well as closing the gap in skills.”

The Director General who was represented by the Kogi State NDE Coordinator, Mallam Abubakar Zakari disclosed that one of the strategies adopted by the Directorate in its job creation drive is the introduction of transient jobs designed to absorb the teeming unemployed graduates roaming the streets.

The Director General appealed to the participants to take advantage of the programme, and noted that the lucky ones among them could be retained by their employers.

The Director of Special Public Works, Mrs. Roseline Olaomi who was represented by Mallam Idris Haruna conducted a compliance check in order to ensure that the graduates on attachment strictly adhere to the implementation of the programme in Kogi State.